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Honda · 5th gen (RW/RT) · 2017–2022

Honda CR-V (2017–2022): Problems, Reliability & Repair Costs

The 5th-gen CR-V is a roomy, efficient, well-built compact SUV — but the popular 1.5L turbo carries a real, documented oil-dilution problem (gasoline mixing into the engine oil) that's worst on 2017–2018 cars and in cold climates. Honda extended the powertrain warranty to cover it. Add an A/C compressor seal leak Honda also extended warranty for, a fuel-pump safety recall, and an AWD rear-differential issue, and this is a good SUV you have to buy with your eyes open.

6/10 CarCaseFile
reliability score

Engines

  • L15BE — 1.5L gasoline, 190 hp
  • K24W — 2.4L gasoline, 184 hp

Transmissions

  • cvt

Drivetrain

FWD / AWD

Body

suv

Should you buy a 2017–2022 Honda CR-V?

Buy it — but verify the engine, not just the body. A 5th-gen CR-V is spacious, fuel-efficient, and easy to live with, and most go the distance. The catch is the 1.5L turbo's oil-dilution issue: gasoline works its way into the oil, raising the oil level and, over many short cold trips, accelerating wear. It's worst on 2017–2018 cars, especially in cold climates; Honda issued software updates and extended the powertrain warranty to 6 years to cover it. On the used market, 2020–2022 cars are the calmer pick. If you want to sidestep the turbo entirely, hunt down a 2017–2019 LX with the 2.4L naturally aspirated engine. Whatever you buy, confirm the open recalls (fuel pump, A/C) are done and check the dipstick for a gas smell.

Best years

2020, 2021, 2022

Years to avoid

2017–2018 1.5L turbo (worst oil dilution, in cold climates especially)

Pre-purchase inspection checklist

  • ☐Pull the dipstick and smell the oil: a strong gasoline smell or an oil level above the full mark is the classic oil-dilution tell on the 1.5L turbo.
  • ☐Ask if the oil-dilution software update (Product Update / service bulletin) was applied, and whether the extended 6-year powertrain warranty was ever used.
  • ☐Check recall status by VIN at nhtsa.gov or owners.honda.com — the low-pressure fuel-pump recall (23V-858 / 24V-763) covers many 2018–2020 cars.
  • ☐On AWD cars, ask about any loss-of-power episode or rear-differential service; the rear diff oil seal was the subject of an NHTSA investigation on 2018–2022 AWD models.
  • ☐Run the A/C on a hot day and confirm it blows cold; the A/C compressor shaft seal can leak — Honda extended that warranty to 10 years, so verify before paying out of pocket.
  • ☐On 2017–2019 cars, test the infotainment: check for freezing, random reboots, or a screen stuck at full brightness, and confirm Bluetooth/CarPlay pair cleanly.
  • ☐Confirm regular oil changes (more frequent is better on the turbo) and any CVT fluid service in the records.

Common Honda CR-V problems & repair costs

Oil dilution — gasoline mixing into the engine oil (1.5L turbo)

$0–$300
engine moderate 2017–2022 (1.5L turbo; worst 2017–2018) ~First winter onward

Symptoms: Oil level rises above the full mark, a strong gasoline smell on the dipstick, and on early cars occasional cold-start misfires. Unburned fuel from the direct-injection turbo gets past the rings and collects in the crankcase, worst on short trips in cold weather. Over time the diluted oil protects the engine less well.

Fix: Honda's remedy was a software update (revised idle/warm-up and climate-control logic) plus an extended powertrain warranty to 6 years with no mileage cap for oil-dilution problems. Outside any warranty, the practical owner fix is more frequent oil changes and avoiding lots of very short cold trips. Catastrophic engine damage is rare; the bigger risk is long-term wear if it's ignored.

Sources: CarComplaints — 2017 CR-V engine (High Oil Level With Gas In Oil), CarComplaints — Honda oil dilution settlement (extended powertrain warranty), ClassAction.org — Honda oil dilution defect (CR-V, Civic, Accord)

A/C compressor shaft seal leak (weak or no cooling)

$0–$1,500
hvac moderate 2017–2022

Symptoms: A/C that gradually stops blowing cold as refrigerant leaks out. The compressor shaft seal can swell and deform after a change in refrigerant/oil spec, then leak.

Fix: Honda issued TSB A23-040 and extended the A/C compressor shaft-seal warranty to 10 years with no mileage limit — so the repair is often free at a dealer. Out of coverage, an independent shop replaces the compressor (and usually the receiver/drier) and recharges the system.

Sources: NHTSA TSB — 2017–22 CR-V A/C Compressor Shaft Seal Leak, CarComplaints — 2017 CR-V A/C

Low-pressure fuel pump failure (engine stall) — safety recall

$0–$0
fuel system safety 2018–2020

Symptoms: A failure-prone fuel-pump impeller can deform and seize the pump, causing the engine to run rough, fail to start, or stall while driving.

Fix: Covered by recall — dealers replace the fuel pump module free of charge. Recall 23V-858 (later expanded by 24V-763) covers a large group of 2017–2020 Honda/Acura vehicles, including many 2018–2020 CR-Vs. Verify the fix was performed by VIN; it's free, so there's no reason to skip it.

Sources: NHTSA — Recall 23V-858 Part 573 Safety Recall Report, Consumer Reports — Honda/Acura fuel pump recall

AWD rear differential oil-seal failure (loss of motive power)

$1,500–$3,000
drivetrain safety 2018–2022 (AWD only)

Symptoms: On all-wheel-drive cars, a failing rear-differential oil seal can let the diff seize, suddenly reducing or losing motive power — in some reported cases dropping from highway speed to around 10 mph.

Fix: NHTSA investigated about 1.7 million 2018–2022 AWD CR-V and HR-V vehicles and closed the probe in July 2024; Honda revised the seal spec and inspection process in late 2021. There was no broad recall, so out-of-warranty repair (rear differential / seal work) is on the owner. AWD buyers should ask about any power-loss episode and rear-diff service history.

Sources: Autoblog — NHTSA opens CR-V/HR-V differential investigation, Lemon Law Help — Honda CR-V/HR-V loss-of-power investigation

Infotainment glitches (freeze, reboot, connectivity)

$0–$600
electrical minor 2017–2019

Symptoms: Touchscreen freezes or reboots on its own, occasionally gets stuck at full brightness at night, and Bluetooth / Apple CarPlay connections drop or won't pair reliably. Largely improved on 2020–2022 cars.

Fix: Try the available software updates first (often free at a dealer) and a hard reset. A persistently faulty head unit may need replacement, but most cases are software, not hardware.

Sources: Motor Illustrated — CR-V 5th gen (2017–2022) problems report

CVT shudder / hesitation at light throttle

$200–$500
transmission minor 2017–2022

Symptoms: Some owners feel a shudder or brief hesitation under gentle acceleration at low speeds. Usually a drivability annoyance rather than a failure, but worth noting on a test drive.

Fix: A CVT fluid service with the correct Honda HCF-2 fluid resolves many cases. Keep the fluid on a sane interval; the CVT itself is generally durable when maintained.

Sources: Motor Illustrated — CR-V 5th gen (2017–2022) problems report

Day to day, a 5th-gen CR-V is cheap to run: good fuel economy, common parts, and simple routine maintenance. The unusual thing about this generation is how much of the big-ticket risk is covered by Honda's own actions — the oil-dilution extended powertrain warranty (6 years), the A/C shaft-seal extended warranty (10 years), and the fuel-pump recall (free). That makes verifying paperwork and recall status the single most valuable thing a buyer can do. The real out-of-pocket exposure is an out-of-warranty AWD rear differential, a tired A/C system past the 10-year window, and the slow cost of ignoring oil dilution. On the 1.5L turbo, change the oil more often than the maximum interval — especially if you do lots of short cold trips.

DIY repairs & parts

Engine oil & filter change (1.5L turbo)

easy 30–45 min saves ~$60–$120

Tools: Floor jack + jack stands (or ramps), 17mm socket for drain plug, Oil filter wrench (cap-style 64–65mm), Drain pan + funnel

  1. Warm the engine briefly, shut it off, then raise and support the front of the car.
  2. Remove the under-engine splash shield, place the drain pan, and remove the drain plug to drain the old oil.
  3. Unscrew the oil filter, lightly oil the new filter's gasket, and hand-tighten the new filter.
  4. Reinstall the drain plug with a new crush washer and torque to spec.
  5. Refill with the specified 0W-20, run the engine, check for leaks, then recheck the level — and on this engine, sniff the dipstick for fuel smell.

Parts

Engine & cabin air filter change

easy 20 min saves ~$50–$110

Tools: No tools needed for most of it (hand clips)

  1. Open the glovebox, squeeze the side stops to drop it fully, and pull the cabin-filter cover.
  2. Slide out the old cabin filter and insert the new one with the airflow arrow pointing down.
  3. At the engine, release the airbox clips, lift the lid, drop in the new panel filter, and re-clip the lid.

Parts

Replace front wiper blades & cabin refresh

easy 15 min saves ~$20–$40

Tools: None (snap-on blades)

  1. Lift each wiper arm off the glass and find the release tab on the blade clip.
  2. Press the tab, slide the old blade down and off the hook.
  3. Slide the new blade on until it clicks, then gently lower the arm back to the glass.

Parts

Some parts links are affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no cost to you. We only list parts that fit this generation.

The short version

The 2017–2022 Honda CR-V is a genuinely good compact SUV — spacious, efficient, and built to go the distance — that comes with a short list of well-documented asterisks. The biggest is oil dilution on the popular 1.5L turbo: gasoline works its way into the engine oil, raising the oil level and giving the dipstick a fuel smell. It’s worst on 2017–2018 cars and in cold climates with lots of short trips. Honda pushed out software updates and extended the powertrain warranty to six years to cover it.

The good news is how much of this generation’s risk Honda already paid for. The oil-dilution warranty extension, a 10-year extended warranty on the leaky A/C compressor seal, and a free fuel-pump recall mean a careful buyer’s job is mostly paperwork — confirm the updates and recalls were done by VIN.

What that means when you’re shopping

If you’re looking at a 2020–2022 CR-V, you’ve landed on the calmer end of the run: the oil-dilution updates were in place, the infotainment was sorted out, and the rear-differential seal had been revised. Buy on condition and service history.

If you’re looking at a 2017–2018 turbo car, treat the engine oil as the first thing to check — pull the dipstick, smell it for fuel, and confirm the oil-dilution software update was applied. None of this means walk away; it means verify.

Want to skip the turbo question entirely? Hunt for a 2017–2019 LX with the 2.4L naturally aspirated engine. No turbo, no oil dilution, just a plain, durable powertrain — the quiet sleeper pick of this generation.

Everything else is ordinary used-CR-V stuff: an A/C system that might be on borrowed time (often covered), early infotainment quirks, and a CVT that’s happy as long as the fluid is fresh. On AWD cars, ask one extra question about the rear differential and any loss-of-power episode.

How this file is built: failure modes and cost ranges are compiled from NHTSA complaint, recall, and investigation data, Honda’s own warranty extensions and service bulletins, CarComplaints reporting, and owner forums, then sanity-checked against shop-floor experience. Cost figures are 2024–2026 US independent-shop estimates and vary by region. Spot something off? Tell us.

Viral car myths, checked

Frequently asked questions

What is the oil-dilution problem on the Honda CR-V 1.5 turbo?

On the 1.5L turbo, unburned gasoline can get past the piston rings and collect in the oil, raising the oil level and giving the dipstick a fuel smell. It's worst on 2017–2018 cars and in cold climates with lots of short trips. Honda issued software updates and extended the powertrain warranty to 6 years for oil-dilution problems. It rarely destroys an engine, but it shouldn't be ignored — change oil more often and avoid lots of very short cold drives.

Which Honda CR-V years are best to buy used?

The 2020–2022 cars are the calmer pick: oil-dilution updates were in place, the infotainment was improved, and the rear-differential seal spec was revised late in the run. If you want to skip the turbo entirely, look for a 2017–2019 LX with the 2.4L naturally aspirated engine — no turbo, no oil dilution, just a simpler powertrain.

Is the A/C problem on the 2017–2022 CR-V covered by Honda?

Often, yes. The A/C compressor shaft seal can leak, and Honda extended that warranty to 10 years with no mileage limit (TSB A23-040). If a 2017–2022 CR-V isn't blowing cold, have a Honda dealer check eligibility before paying for a condenser or compressor out of pocket.

Does the 5th-gen CR-V have a fuel pump recall?

Many do. Recall 23V-858 (later expanded by 24V-763) covers a large group of 2017–2020 Honda/Acura vehicles, including many 2018–2020 CR-Vs, for a fuel pump that can fail and stall the engine. Dealers replace it free. Check any car you're considering by VIN at nhtsa.gov or owners.honda.com.

Should I worry about the AWD rear differential?

It's worth a question, not a deal-breaker. NHTSA investigated 2018–2022 AWD CR-V and HR-V models for a rear-diff oil seal that could fail and cause loss of power, and closed the probe in 2024 after Honda revised the seal. There was no broad recall, so on an AWD car ask whether it ever lost power and whether the rear differential has been serviced.